Christmas 2013

As I have been away from my family for more Christmases than I can count, the last few years I have decided to embrace it.  My children are old enough that Christmas needed to be where they were and not where I wanted to be.  So, last year we threw a Christmas Eve party - just to build more 'fun' into the evening instead of waiting and whining ... It was a great success and when we asked the kids again this year what was one thing that they really wanted to do at Christmas again, it was the party!  It was my favorite thing too!  I only wish my house was bigger and then I could invite everyone I know and love here in Indiana - that is the only reason I would ever want a bigger house!

 

 We had a gingerbread contest - with prizes for everyone, a big pasta dinner, read Luke 2 while the kids dressed up and acted out the nativity,

 The house was full, but it was full of lots of laughter, good conversation, good food and wonderful friends.

We finished with dessert, some ping pong and then everyone went home to sleep so Santa would come.  It is wonderful to feel surrounded by family, even if they aren't the people you grew up with, but people that you know and love - We have been so blessed to call so many 'family' here. 

 The kids opened the traditional PJs on Christmas Eve before bed and then, the next morning participated in the traditional 'scavenger hunt' that Santa leaves each year.

 Miss Lilly and her horse ...

 The boys and their micro-chargers ...

 Finishing up a Christmas breakfast ...

 And trying on the BYU t-shirts Grandpa and Grandma Y sent. 

We have been blessed with so much and are so grateful for this time of year to reflect on the most important things and spend time with the people that matter the most - each other!  Merry Christmas!

Catch Up

Since I started working more hours this summer, I'm finding precious little time to post pics on this blog!  So, here is a re-cap of things I want to capture before I forget them!

 Summer Camp Recital from September -- Big D's first time (the Blue Panda's), Miss Lilly (the Cowgirls), Master S (the Piano Guys).  They all did a great job this year!

 A local small town about 10 minutes from us does a 'hay bail' display where different businesses and groups can advertise by decorating bails of hay on display at town hall through Halloween -- this was our favorite this year!

 We drive past the temple site every chance we get - here is a picture from October.  So excited to have a temple close by, hopefully by yearly 2015!

 And finally we are caught up with Christmas prep in full swing around here!  Finally got all the boxes shipped yesterday to family ... Pennsylvania, Idaho, Hawaii, Nevada, & Florida this year!

 Ward Christmas Party - Big D asking for a 'dog' this year.

 Miss Lilly also asking for a 'dog' this year ... oh dear! 

Yesterday it snowed - and it was the kind of wet snow that we got in Utah.  So fun to play in!  Big D pushing a ginormous snowball.

 Miss Lilly and her snow - puppy?  Yes, she definitely has it on the brain.

 Her snow chair, and

 Big D's snowman.

 We went downtown to see the lights and have dinner together.  Not sure we will do that again, as we spent more time in the parking garage than anywhere else!  But it was fun to see the lights on Monument Circle.

 I loved these lights on a building on the circle.  Someday we'll have to take a ride in one of the many horse drawn carriage's and have hot chocolate at South Bend Chocolate Company ... hopefully when we don't have a child complaining of a stomach ache!  Kuddos to Big D for keeping it down until we got home that night!

Mike & Renee

*This is a late post, and its out of order, but I really wanted to include this adventure in our blog record!

We have some wonderful friends.  The kind that you know would drop anything to be there for you.  They were our neighbors for 4 wonderful years here in Brownsburg and then decided to move to Michigan to be closer to family.  When they moved we promised to visit them, often, and they promised to visit us in return.  In October we went to see them, as they live close to the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village and there is a Halloween festival of sorts there on the weekends.  Since we had gotten a membership in May when we went, we thought we'd take advantage of Fall break and go again.

 This time we went to the Ford Museum and spent most of our time there.  They have the original Oscar Meyer Hot Dog Car, along with all kinds of unique and one of a kind cars.  Many of the presidential limos are there too.

 There was a display about the different decades of the 1900s ... it was a little weird to see stuff from the 80's and 90's on display - stuff from my childhood is history?!  Hailey and Dan liked like 1950's school room display.

 There was, of course, lots of displays on Henry Ford and the Ford concept.  We participated in a assembly line and then also helped to 'build' the model T that was in the exhibit. 

 Everyday they take all the pieces to the model T and have all the visitors help to screw the nuts and bolts and put the parts in place to make the car.  The kids loved to be a part of that and at the end of the day we went back and got our picture in the completed Ford.

 Miss Lilly was learning about Rosa Parks at school and was so excited to be able to see, in person, the bus she was riding on.

 That night we went back to Greenfield Village for the Halloween festival.  Everyone was in costume! My ninja,

 my Link, and

my prairie girl...

 There were candy stations throughout, lots of carved, glowing pumpkins, dancing scarecrows, singing ghosts, a haunted pumpkin tree, the headless horseman ... a fantastic Halloween time!

 Before going home the next day we went to get apple cider doughnuts and fresh apple cider at a local orchard.  I didn't realize what a uniquely Michigan thing this is.  It was so delicious that I was craving it when we got home the next week and went to find some and there weren't any in all of Indiana - no apple cider doughnuts and no apple presses that I could take the kids to see.  So, if anything, this is definitely a reason to go to Michigan in the fall!!!

 A few weeks later Mike and Renee came to visit us.  The kids and I took Renee to see McCloud, as it is so beautiful in the fall. 

 It was a little cold, and even though it was the beginning of November, there was plenty of fall color!

 the boys and their walking sticks ...

 Miss Lilly peeling the bark off of her walking stick ..

 the kids and Renee

And a fuzzy caterpillar!  I know this means something about winter ... just can't remember what!?  It was so crazy because Renee pointed them out on the road driving home.  We took the back roads through the farm country and if you were watching closely, they were everywhere trying to cross the roads!  You could see them inching along.  She also pointed out a persimmon tree in our neighborhood walk while she was here.  It is on the border of the park and the acreage owed by someone else adjacent to our neighborhood, but the tree hangs over the wire fence, so we ventured over to try them.  They were very sweet, but after that first bite into them, there is a reaction in your mouth that makes it so dry its hard to even swallow.  Its like it sucks up all the saliva all at once.  Crazy! Apparently persimmon pudding is a Hoosier favorite.  We had it at J.D.'s family's Wakefield reunion this summer.  If I live here long enough, maybe I'll have to try making it ...

Drumstick Dash 2013

Thanksgiving morning I did something I have NEVER done.  I ran.  Well, ok, I've run lots before, but never, in a race.  When I was a kid there was this race in Boise, ID.  I can't even remember the name, but I do remember it was for kids, they talked about it at school a lot and, most importantly, my brother ran it and I didn't.  I'm sure my mom tried to talk me into it.  I know she wanted me to reach my potential and knew I could do it, but for whatever reason, I was fearful.  Afraid that I wasn't good enough to run, or that I wouldn't be able to finish, or that people would look at me weird (heaven forbid!) if I started to walk.  (Oh, the limits of a youth's perspective - goodness, people look at me weird all the time now!)  So, I never signed up.  A few years ago, I decided that if I was going to loose some weight I had better start running.  So, I found some good running shoes and started.  I've never been able to go really long distances, but I'm finding that I really enjoy running.  It provides a sort of stress release for me, as well as a confidence boost.  My body craves it, especially in the winter when the weather is bad and I'm stuck inside.  It makes me appreciate my body, and all that it can do and it helps me focus on the most important things, especially when life's throwing some big punches and I don't know how to block them. 

So, on Thanksgiving morning, I ran a 4.6 mile race called the Drumstick Dash.  It benefits the Wheeler Mission in Indianapolis, a homeless shelter that also provides lots of assistance to anyone in need.  I ran with a couple friends that I adore and admire.  They are incredible women and I ran the whole thing in less than 50 minutes!  Thinking I might sign up for another in June. 

More than Air

For Thanksgiving this year we changed it up a bit and had the missionaries over for the feast.  Our neighbors across the street came over to.  It was a full house and lots of fun.  The Elders serving in our ward right now are fantastic and we loved having them in our home all afternoon.  They are so excited to share the gospel and the love of Christ with others.

I took this picture and sent it to their moms/dads, knowing that if my sons were serving missions I would love to have a little peak into their holiday.  I got replies of appreciation, but one in particular struck me, it said:

"Sister Flora,

Thank you for taking care of my boy, and thank you for the picture! He looks great. I miss him so much and have been thinking of him all week. Please tell him, I love him more than air.

He's a good boy; I love him so much."

"I love him more than air".  It describes so much of what you feel as a parent.  A love that is so much a part of everyday life that you hardly notice it most days, but when deprived of it you feel as if you can't go on living.

At Christmas we take time to show that love, more frequently and in more concrete ways.  One of my many goals next year, is to show that kind of love daily to my children - so that they know, beyond anything else, that their mom loves them, even more than air.

WestJet Christmas Miracle: real-time giving

I just had to share this today.  Life is crazy at the holidays around here ... and sometimes a little stressful, so it is easy to forget what 'Christmas Spirit' is.  J.D. shared this with me this morning and by the time it was over I had tears rolling down my cheeks.  This is Christmas.  This is what 'Christmas Spirit' is about, making wishes come true for others!  (and notice it doesn't have to be expensive or big wishes either ... just socks and underwear can make people smile in appreciation!)

Halloween in November!

 A few days ago, the town announced that Trick or Treating would be held on Friday instead of Thursday evening because of predicted storms.  We all kind of laughed at work about it ... I mean, really, when are they that accurate that far ahead of time.  Well, I wasn't laughing last night - thank goodness we weren't trying to Trick or Treat!  There was a record breaking rain fall last night and winds strong enough to knock down heavy patio furniture.  Today was a much better day to be out in the neighborhood!

Here are the costumes - Link and a Black Ninja and Miss Lilly as Mary Poppins ...

 This one is blurry, but so cute of her!

Last night we actually got to carve pumpkins - so all that rain was a good thing, otherwise I'm not sure we would have had any jack 'o lanterns this year.  Life is so busy!  Happy Halloween!

My favorite part of Fall Break ...

Fall break is now two weeks long.  I love it!  It is fantastic if you have a vacation planned for a week or so because then you have time to actually relax at home too, but when you are short on funds and have two weeks together and the weather turns from 70's to 50's, you start to look for things to do after few days  ... things close by and free!  There is so much to do in Indianapolis and close by that it is good to just be home and explore what you are surrounded by.  You never know what kind of gems you'll find right in your own backyard.

We found some things to do and we had a great time.  We used coupons from the summer reading program for a free round of bowling at the local Brownsburg Bowl.  We found a 'U Pick' pumpkin patch at a farm really close to our house.  It is great because they have an ice cream bucket, literally, on a card table in their front yard with a note that says 'leave an amount ($) that you think your pumpkins are worth'.  Which makes picking your own pumpkins so much more affordable than the commercialized pumpkin patches around here.  Love it.

 We went to Connor Prairie, which we already had a pass for and enjoyed the science area, made some fall crafts and got to visit the Apple Store, which they have every fall but we never have time to go check it out - the kids got caramel apples, which I thought would be so messy ... but they ate every bite of them, all the way down to the core and then licked their fingers clean!  I was so surprised! 

But, my most favorite thing we did was take a bike ride - on a trail - a long trail.  I figured out how to get the bike rack on the car, loaded all four bikes onto or into the car and we found a trail in Zionsville that was perfect for the kids!  Beautiful fall weather, changing trees, about 6 miles of trail and the kids did awesome.  We totally need to do this more often.  Even Big D was able to do about 5 1/2 miles - which for his kindergarten legs was amazing.
 



 I love it when we find something healthy, something free, something new and a little adventurous and something that everyone enjoys!  Apparently Indiana is a great place for biking.  After talking to some 'bikers' at work, there are a lot of trails, both paved and mountain trails in Indiana and it is a destination for a lot of bikers. 

I would love to check out some of the trails in downtown Indianapolis with the kids.  I went with some ladies from work for a bike ride there a few weeks ago and loved it.  We went just under 20 miles, had lunch in Broad Ripple halfway and spent a few hours seeing the city.  I really like spin at the gym, so I thought I'd enjoy biking ... just wish I had more time to fit it into my schedule.  I think seeing the city on a bike would be a great experience for my kids.  So, there it is - a goal for next year, 'Get the kids downtown for a few bike rides' and maybe 'Join the Indiana Biking Association and go on a few long rides myself, see what I can do!'

 Big D was pretty excited that we was able to pedal so far all by himself.  He was a trooper!  Isn't it gorgeous here in the fall?!  The kids are pretty cute too.

 This is the car all loaded up with the bikes ... I was just a little proud of myself for figuring that out all by myself and then not having any of them fall off as I drove!

We also worked a lot on our Halloween costumes.  I've been so frugal this year (yea!) - I think I spent a total of $5 on costumes this year.  We have made everything from stuff I had on hand, cardboard, or a few things that I picked up from goodwill.  And their costumes have all turned out great. 

 

 This picture is a hint for Miss Lilly's costume ... the big reveal for my siblings will come on Halloween :)